"Scroat" the Plane... A swan song in the making

I made fun of a Stanley 4 1/2 C plane on Ebay. It looked terrible in all ways to me at the time. So somewhat impulsively, I bid $42 max and later won it for $35.89 and $14 shipping.

My impulse was based purely on three “reasonings: 1) I need a 4 1/2 to nearly fill my collection (I still lack a #1), 2) I have been wanting to repair a tote, and 3) My next restore (even though I’m not through with my first) will be done by electrolysis (even though the Evapo-Rust worked extremely well on the current project) and this is a crusty candidate.

So here are pictures of “Scroat” BEFORE

-- If you're going to stir the pot, think BIG spoon or SMALL boat paddle. David Grimes, Georgia

Actually it looks not too bad at all-the first picture off Ebay denigrated it some…..Considering it must be pre 1933 it is very good.Seeing the cracked tote here now after my comment on the forum I wouldn’t want to glue that-either make a new one or get a replacement Rosewood one from the that guy who makes them.

Actually I was thinking a very small diameter (3/16” ?) dowel shaft drilled at the appropriate angle from the bottom (after the glue and clamp) on front and back of the screw shaft to give it something to take the stress off the break itself. Eh, just a thought.

-- If you're going to stir the pot, think BIG spoon or SMALL boat paddle. David Grimes, Georgia

With modern glues, just about anything will bond stronger than the wood itself. It is going to be a long grain repair. Remember, there is already a hole drilled through it for the screw. Not a lot of wood available to drill something else through there.